Continuing our conversations about locals making the big time, if you recall last week we talked about local guy Thomas Hautmann in the press box at Wembley Stadium in London, covering the biggest soccer game in the world for Fox Sports, while reminiscing about his time kicking the ball around in Dover.

Here’s another one for you. Three-hundred and sixty-five days ago, Josh Bean, valedictorian of Dover High School, addressed his fellow graduates saying “we are all starships, and we were meant to fly.”

Fast forward to today and Bean is living his prophesy, traveling from Taiwan to Tokyo. Impressive stuff you say.

Try this on for size. The Harvard student is a member of the Krokodiloes, a 12-man a cappella college group traveling on a 5 continent, 11-country world tour. Places like: Hong Kong, Japan, Inner Mongolia (INNER MONGOLIA yikes!), China, all over Australia, India, Germany, Columbia, Hungary etc. Not bad for a kid from Dovah, eh?

Speaking of schools, did everyone note the naming of Judy Ring by the Dover Chamber of Commerce as Teacher of the Year? Over the years I’ve had many opportunities to chat with Judy and observe her in the classroom and have been very impressed. More impressive to me than even those two things is the relationship she has had with every student going through the Cosmetology Department. It goes beyond teacher/student. She’s there for the kids 100 percent — plus the work she and they put in after school at so many events needing their expertise. Just another example of how important the Career Technical Center is becoming. Congrats Judy, you deserve it.

According to School Board doyenne Doris Grady, that board now finds itself in a “very precarious position.” According to Grady, the selection of a new Superintendent of Schools, to replace imminent departing Superintendent Jean Briggs Badger, will be “the most difficult decision” that the board members have to face during their time in office.

Names are already being bandied about for the interim or permanent position. The name of Jim Amara retiring head of Dover’s award winning Career Technical Center has been prominent in discussion. What are your thoughts about a replacement? Shall we look internally within the system or do a galactic search? Let me know, this, as Grady sez, “needs to be discussed in public and needs to take place as soon as possible.”

Lots of stuff to throw at you about new and upcoming things.

Dover Listens is preparing several opportunities for you to share your opinions and make a difference. They’ll be sponsoring, in conjunction with The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce and others, candidates forums in October — that’s right October (there goes the summer). More great stuff coming from them as well. This is an election year for Dover, are you satisfied with the performance of your City Council and School Committee?

The cast has been selected for the Woodman Night at the Museum. Labor Day weekend — I get to play Sen. John Parker Hale and have I got a surprise for you — all I’ll tell you is that it is a shocker involving President Abraham Lincoln.

Anyone out there connected with a nonprofit? Here’s a great, unique way to raise some money. Dover’s theater impresario extraordinaire, Alan Goldfarb, has forged an agreement with Redhook Brewery for the use of their function hall. He will be holding a monthly dinner theater, and wishes to do it with area non-profits who can benefit from the proceeds.

Each month a well known New England Dinner Theatre will present a different performance. According to Goldfarb “all the nonprofit has to do is pick a month when they would like to be co-host for the event, sell tickets to fill the 150 seat function hall, and receive a nice check for their efforts.” That’s no-brainer folks — contact Alan at 603-661-3676 or email him at goldi82@comcast.net to get in line.

One more thing and I’ll let you go. On Thursday, June 20 from 7-8:30 p.m. the Dover Chamber of Commerce invites you (yes you!) to share your input and hear other ideas on the potential revitalization of the historic Strand Theater. Louise Stevens of ArtsMarket, Inc. will be in attendance as part of her research.

That’s it folks, let me know your thoughts on some of the above, lots to digest and I’d like to share your opinions. rpmjcole@comcast.net